01 Nov Atsá Foods

Created by Cal Poly student Rafael Pintor and sold at the Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market, Atsá Foods superfood bars serve a unique twist: the key ingredient of Atsá bars is organic, wild-harvested piñon nut, grown commonly in indigenous communities. Rafael started the company with a mission to create a sustainable product while promoting economic growth in Native American communities and preserving the land on which the piñon is harvested. The word “Atsá” means “eagle” in Athabaskan, the main language spoken by the Navajo people. Rafael said that he chose the name and corresponding eagle logo in homage to his own Native American roots, and to have the company represent a positive symbol for the unity of American and Native culture.

Atsá Foods sets an uplifting example for sustainable businesses with a mission to improve life in undeveloped communities. (Their tag line is “Native American superfoods.”) Rafael’s inspiration for Atsá stemmed from visiting the rural community of the Navajo people in Arizona, where he was first introduced to piñon. Rafael said that he believed there would be a market for the product due to its high nutritional value.

Atsá bars are currently made and packaged in Los Angeles and are sold at 90 different locations around the Central Coast, including the Santa Barbara Zoo, Cal Fresh, The Market, Cal Poly book store, and local coffee shops such as BlackHorse Espresso & Bakery. Atsá’s original bar is the Toasted Nut & Cranberry bar. The bars are made with organic ingredients and also contain chia, quinoa and cinnamon. Atsá has two other bars coming soon: Coconut Almond Wild Berry and Dark Chocolate Cherry Pecan.

Rafael said that Atsá plans to expand their product lines and reach additional customers in the near future. Atsá paves the way for a new way of doing business in a truly sustainable manner. Director of Brand Management and Outreach Elan Sherman says, “It’s very important to us to stick to our values no matter what. We want to be honest about what we do.” To learn more, visit AtsaFoods.com.

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